A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Finlayson, John
FINLAYSON. (Retired Commander, 1845. f-p., 16; h-p., 33.)
John Finlayson, born 21 Nov. 1786, is of Scotch extraction.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 June, 1798, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the St. George 98, Capt. John Holloway, bearing the flags afterwards of Lord Nelson and Sir Chas. Morice Pole, of which ship he was Signal-Midshipman in the action off Copenhagen, 2 April, 1801. During that memorable conflict he went on board the Elephant and other ships of the fleet, and eventually took possession of the Holstein, a captured 64. In April, 1803, having been unemployed, except in the merchant service, for a period of 16 months, he re-embarked, as Master’s Mate, on board the Topaze 36, Capts. Willoughby Thos. Lake and Anselm John Griffiths, with whom, successively, he continued on the Irish station until March, 1807, when he sailed for the West Indies in the Daedalus 32, Capt. Fred. Warren, where, after an intermediate attachment to the Northumberland and Belleisle 74’s, bearing each the flag of Sir Alex. Cochrane, he became Acting-Lieutenant, in Nov. 1807, of the Ulysses 44, Capts. Christopher John Williams Nesham and Wm. Maude. While in the latter ship, his appointment to which received official sanction 9 April, 1808, Mr. Finlayson landed as second in command of a detachment of seamen and marines under Lieut. Gore, and, after storming a strong battery, the guns of which (16 24-pounders) he destroyed, sustained, on his way back to the boats, several assaults from the enemy’s troops, and received a musket-ball in the left leg. He also, in March, 1808, assisted at the capture of Marie-galante, and, when that island was subsequently attacked by the French, he co-operated in its defence, in the capacity of Adjutant and Town-major; but, in the midst of the operations, he was struck by the sun, and laid up for three months with an attack of yellow fever. Removing with Capt. Maude, in Nov. 1808, into the Jason 32, Mr. Finlayson, on 22 Jan. 1809, assisted, with the Cleopatra 32, in capturing the French frigate La Topaze of 38 guns; as First-Lieutenant of which ship (afterwards named Jewel and then Alcmene) he assisted, in the course of the same and of the following year, at the reduction of Martinique, the Saintes, and Guadaloupe. His next appointments were, also as Senior-Lieutenant – 8 June, 1810, to the Papillion 18, Capt. Jas. Hay, in which vessel he saw much active service during the siege of Cadiz – and, 24 Sept. 1814, to the Myrtle 20, Capt. Arth. Batt Bingham, on the Cork station. Commander Finlayson, who had been on half-pay since 30 Nov. 1815, accepted the rank he now holds 18 Jan. 184,5.
From 1816 until 1840 he was constantly employed in the merchant service, and during the last 16 years of that period had the command of various steamers. He is married, and has issue. Agents – Hallett and Robinson.